France

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FC: Memories of France May/June 2009

1: 3 Days in Paris | Our neighbors and traveling companions, Tom and Carol Warner | We arrived at the Hotel Meridien Montparnasse and met our Uniworld guide, Melanie. After a breakfast and a rest, we walked and walked!

2: We started our 2nd day with a guided tour of the Musee d'Orsay and then spent the rest of the day strolling through Paris from the Tuilleries to the Louvre to Notre Dame on Ile de la Cite and on thorugh the left bank- a 12 hour day!

3: Le Louvre | At lunch with travel companions: Tom and Carol Warner, Don and Kathy Pearson | Place de la Concorde to the Arche de Triomphe

4: Notre Dame Cathedral and Ile de la Cite

5: Sunday Market and Monmartre | Sacre Coeur

6: Arrival at the Baroness and a new day in Les Andelys

7: Chateau Galliard- the Castle of Richard the Lion-hearted built in the 12th century

8: an 11th century village and our first view of half-timbered houses

9: River scenes throughout France

10: The half-timbered houses of the Old City

11: Notre Dame Cathedral, made famous by Monet's many paintings, was built in the 11th and 12th centuries | The Renaissance clock tower, Gros Horloge | Modern architecture next to half-timbered 15th century buildings next to Roman ruins! | Damage from bombing in World War II remains in place

12: The fall of Joan of Arc- the place where she was put on trial and the church which lies on the place she was put to death

13: A cemetery building recycled as a School for Fine Arts | Catching a break | Artist hand-painting Faiaences pottery

14: On to Normandy | Gold Beach where the British and Canadians landed

15: Because we were there 3 days before the 65th anniversary of D Day, reenactors were everywhere lending a realistic feel to the history!

16: The American Cemetery

17: The Rangers climbed these cliffs and were met by German artillery

18: The bomb craters were left as they were since the war | This area had been bombed heavily by the Americans in preparation for the Rangers' landing but the Germans had returned

19: Founded by the Vikings, this port was used by Samuel de Champlain | The oldest building which was built by the Vikings

20: The Cider farm tour and lunch where we tried Cidre and Calvados | Expensive resort town on the English Channel

21: His home | His garden | The pond and lily pads he painted.

22: Versailles

23: The interior includes an original clock and rug, brocaded wallpaper, red marble and the King's bed.

24: The Hall of Mirrors

25: An Evening in Paris celebrating Carol's birthday with dinner at the Eiffel Tower. | City bus tour on a rainy morning

26: Captain's Dinner and End of Week 1 | The River Royale and the beginning of Week 2 | Our room and our second ship.

27: Town of Chalon, a center for Frnench wine, where we docked the first night on the Soane. | A hospital for the poor founded in 1443 and run by the Catholic church